Makinde Fires at Tinubu Govt: ‘We Don’t Know What Was Passed in Tax Bills’

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has slammed the Federal Government’s approach to the controversial tax reform bills, declaring that neither governors nor ordinary Nigerians have clarity on what exactly the National Assembly approved or what President Bola Tinubu signed into law.

Makinde dropped the bombshell during a public event where he addressed former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, openly lamenting the shift away from open dialogue since Osinbajo left office. “Sir, I personally miss you in that position. A lot of people may not know why. Things are not really the same,” Makinde stated, highlighting what he sees as a drop in consultative governance under the current administration.

The governor took attendees back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, just months after he took office. He recalled a heated National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Osinbajo, where some governors pushed for a blanket nationwide lockdown. But Osinbajo allowed room for debate and state-specific decisions, Makinde said. “For Oyo State people, why I did not lock down during COVID was because of his decision,” he explained, crediting Osinbajo’s style for enabling flexible responses.

Fast-forward to the tax bills, and Makinde painted a stark contrast. He accused the Tinubu administration of shutting down dissent and rushing the process without proper input. “We had the same situation in this dispensation. It was the tax bill. And we said, look, bring the tax bill back. Let us all have an opportunity to look dispassionately at it,” Makinde recounted. But objections from governors were brushed aside, he claimed, leading to the current confusion. “The tax bill, we don’t know what was passed at the National Assembly. We don’t also know what was signed off,” he added.

Makinde didn’t hold back on his overall critique, saying it’s now “difficult to speak truth to power” under Tinubu’s leadership. He reiterated his fondness for Osinbajo’s era, where internal checks kept decisions balanced. “So when I say I miss you, I miss you so much, sir,” the governor concluded.

This isn’t Makinde’s first clash with the tax reforms. Back in September 2025, he refused to assent to a related presumptive tax bill passed by the Oyo State House of Assembly, arguing it would heap more hardship on the masses amid widespread hunger.

The governor’s outburst comes amid escalating drama over the tax laws. The House of Representatives Minority Caucus Ad-hoc Committee, probing alleged alterations, released an interim report confirming unauthorized changes in the gazetted versions. The panel, chaired by Afam Ogene, pointed to major discrepancies in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, sparked by a motion from lawmaker Abdulsamad Dasuki who flagged differences between what lawmakers approved and what appeared in circulation.

However, the House leadership has distanced itself from the minority caucus report, calling it “non-binding and informal” due to procedural issues. Deputy Spokesperson Philip Agbese described the findings as “overtaken by events,” insisting the main House isn’t bound by the caucus probe.

Critics, including state governments, civil society, and analysts, continue to blast the process for lacking transparency, fueling fears about its impact on federalism and fiscal equity. Northern governors and traditional leaders have voiced strong opposition, viewing the reforms as skewed against their regions.

As the dust settles, Makinde’s comments underscore growing tensions between states and the center, with calls mounting for a review of the laws to ensure inclusivity.